MARY. 79

“That is all you are going to do, isn’t it?” Mary said,
appealing to Cecil.

“ About all,” she replied.

“JT never heard of one girl having a commencement all to
herself. Did you, girls?” asked one of the number.

“No, I never did,” returned each of the others.

Mary turned around to go in, much hurt at the manner in
which her great news had been received.

Cecil hastily bade good-by to the others, and ran after
' Mary, who was going slowly up the steps with her eyes full of
tears. |

Cecil overtook her, and put her arm around her. “Oh,
Mary,” she said, “I am so glad you are going to have a com-
mencement! I was just going in to ask you if you couldn’t
come to ours. We can ask two persons, and I want to invite
mamma and you.”

Mary’s face brightened. “And J will ask mamma if I
may invite you to mine, Cecil,” she said, giving Cecil a little
squeeze. “Oh, Cecil, I should love to go to yours! What are
you going to do?”

“JT am going to recite a little poem, and I am going to sing
a little French song, and of course I shall march in with the
others and sing in the choruses. Now, good-by! Be sure to
ask your mamma if you may go.”

In this new excitement Mary forgot her hurt feelings, and
went in to her mother with a radiant face.